A busy weekend for most of the area’s high school soccer teams included Solvay hosting its annual boys Kickoff Tournament – where the Bearcats and Jordan-Elbridge both went 1-1.
In Friday’s opening round, the Bearcats bashed Cato-Meridian 7-0, getting six goals in a first-half onslaught where Yuri Zdebsky led the way.
All Zdebsky did was produce two goals and three assists, spearheading an attack where Nate Antonacci also scored twice. Christian Salvagni, Sean Mullholland and Oleksandr Kaplun earned single goals as Nick Mazzae-Hook and Matt DeLuca joined Mullholland in the assist column.
This came after J-E lost 4-0 to Phoenix in the other half of the opening round. Most of the Firebirds’ damage came after the break, when it got three goals to negate Eagles goalie Josh Alley’s eight saves. Diego Barromodo led Phoenix, scoring twice.
On Saturday, the Eagles went first in the consolation game against Cato – and nearly matched Solvay’s effort from the day before, putting together a big first half and blanking the Blue Devils 5-0.
It was 4-0 by halftime, the Eagles nicely balancing out its attack. Five different players – Andrew Forward, Mike Wright, Allan Klimek, Aurie Schwarting and Christian Marrero – got the five goals, with Forward, Wright and Klimek earning assists.
The championship game pitted Solvay against Phoenix, and the Firebirds pulled away late to beat the Bearcats 4-1.
Only trailing 1-0 at the break, Solvay got a goal from Antonacci, but Phoenix countered with a big push as Kyle Fisk (one goal, one assist) led the visitors. In defeat, Bearcats goalie Kosta Sukhorukov recorded nine saves.
As this took place, many other local teams were in action – including the J-E girls, who lost 1-0 Friday to Hannibal as Erica Weldin notched the only goal in the first half. Eagles goalie Kaylee Olmstead stopped 13 of the 14 shots she faced to keep the Eagles close.
Bishop Ludden kept rolling, though, as it improved to 3-0 by blanking Bishop Grimes 3-0. Grace Rooney’s pair of goals led the Gaelic Knights as Mersadiz Hayes also converted, with Shelby Hunter and Kelly Granteed earning assists.
A full Saturday of action included a local boys showdown where Marcellus earned its first win of the season, taking out Bishop Ludden 5-1.
The Mustangs, roughed up in the opening week of the season (two losses and a tie), fought its way to a 2-1 halftime lead on the Gaelic Knights, then picked up the tempo and ran away late.
Cal Filtch, with two goals and one assist, set the pace as Nate Waite, Keenan Vaughn and Sean Dunn also scored. Kyle Jankowski joined Dunn in the assist column as Nick Walker earned Ludden’s lone goal in the first half.
the unbeaten Marcellus girls soccer team ran smack into defending Section III Class A champion Jamesville-DeWitt and lost to the Red Rams 4-0.
A decisive first half saw the Mustangs fall behind 3-0 and never recover. Two goalie – Nicole Fletcher and Sophie Jackson – worked, and each made six saves. Maddy Devereaux led J-D with one goal and one assist.
By stark contrast, Solvay ran over Phoenix 8-0 to move its record to 2-0, getting a titanic effort from Alexis Bandera as she poured in five goals and one assist.
Mickenzie Moore, who scored twice, offered the help for the Bearcats as Mykayla Perotti got the other goal. Anna Salvagno recorded a pair of assists.
Westhill’s early struggles continued with a 1-0 loss to Cortland, the only goal coming in the first half as Rachel Prentice beat Warriors goalie Samantha Peebles. Overall, Peebles had five saves.
